FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - US/Canadian Issued APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC): Updates, Experiences, Q&A
Old Jun 6, 2018, 3:55 am
  #1476  
kawaii
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: MPC, Marriott, Hyatt
Posts: 407
Originally Posted by HKUSFLYER
Another Question: If you use APEC card, then supposedly you are on business. Do you then have to get a business visa (for the five countries that are not visa-free)?

China Business Visa is quite difficult to get, because it requires a party in China to write a letter for you as invitation so that, more or less implied, that company is responsible for your whereabouts. It then makes it difficult for people who just want to go to China to tap individuals for startups and stuff......
This isn't an issue with the US-issed ABTC (which is the one I have) so I can't say for the HK-issued ABTC. I've never had an immigration agent give me any problems because I've indicated on the immigration form that I was arriving for holiday but still using my ABTC, so I don't think there's necessarily an explicit expectation that you must be on a business visa to use an ABTC.
kawaii is offline